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How does the industrial water chiller work?

2021-12-24

How does the industrial water chiller work?

Industrial process cooling chillers apply to brewery, beverage, dairy, laser, medical and other industry, industrial chillers ensure your equipment stays cool during processing.

The working principle of glycol chiller is a continuous stream of refrigerant is delivered to the cold side of the evaporator at the desired temperature.  Then the chiller sends the cooled fluid through the process to remove heat from the equipment and concentrate it on the return side. In this article, we will introduce more about the working principle of water chiller, including the basic components of the water chiller air conditioning unit and the various stages of the cooling process.


Basic components of water chiller



No matter what type of chiller your project requires, each model will contain the following components to help keep the process cooling:

Evaporator - Located between the expansion valve and the suction line connected to the compressor, the brazed plate or high efficiency tank or shell and tube evaporator serves as the central hub for the start of the refrigeration cycle.

Compressor - The compressor compresses low pressure gas from the evaporator and converts it to high pressure gas before entering the condenser.

Condenser - The condenser is located between the compressor and the expansion valve, it has two options, air cooled and water cooled, and can be configured separately. Read more about the difference between air cooled chiller and water cooled chiller on our website.

Expansion Valve - Electronic expansion valve (EEV) adopts a stepper motor that helps to accurately position the valve for strict overheating control.


The various stages of the instant cooling water chiller cooling process

The evaporator, compressor, condenser and expansion device of the chillers all undergo thermodynamic processes during cooling. The following four stages summarize how does the chiller air conditioning system finish the work:

Stage 1 -- Firstly, the chiller evaporator acts as a heat exchanger, where it collects process heat and transfers it to the cold liquid refrigerant in the modular chiller. Then, the process heat makes the refrigerant boil, turning it from a low-pressure liquid into a low-pressure gas. At the same time, the temperature of the process coolant is reduced.

Stage 2 -- Next, the low-pressure gas enters the compressor, whose main job is to increase the pressure of the outlet refrigerant vapor to a temperature high enough to release heat in the condenser.

Stage 3 - In the condenser, the refrigerant vapor returns to the liquid. Ambient air or condenser water will take away heat from the vapor-liquid conversion process, depending on whether you are using an air cooled water chiller or water cooled water chiller.

Stage 4 -- The final stage of the cooling process is the liquid refrigerant enters the expansion valve, is measured before entering evaporator, and the cooling cycle is repeated again.


When researching a process cooling, keep an eye on these key features that will help you get the best functionality and performance:

-Performance of industrial strength

-Consistent temperature control

-The full-year operating

-The capacity of the modulation

-Customized control

-Energy efficiency

-Reliability